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JUL 27 i931. w. E. cooPER ET AL 1,790,366

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE Filed Hay 1l, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l mah fsfY. @Mw

ATTORNEY Jan. 27, 1931. w. E. COOPER ET AL 1,790,366

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE Filed may 1'1. 1928 2 sheets-sneu 2 "-IIIZIIIZII a `largerquantities of material.

Patented Jan. 27, 1931 v'l'l-NI'I'IED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM E. COOPER, OF mENDHAm NEWJERSEY, 'AND FRANcscO A. QUIROZ, OF

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AssreNORs To AMERICAN MACHINE a NOUN-DRY com- PANY, A doRrORATION OF NEW JERSEY AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE Application filed May 11,

This .invention relates to automatic weighing machines of a type in which free flowing ygranulated powdered `materials are received ina scaleI pocket from a magazine or hopper, and are automatically discharged from the in which any quantity of the material within its capacity will be weighed with approximately the same accuracy. Another object is to provide quick acting means for dischargingthe bucket, which will act equally well Ywith small amounts in the bucket as with Another object is to providequick and effective means for shutting the hopper gates in response to the balancing movement of the scale beam of 7the machine. Vitith these and other Objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists ofy certain constructions and combinations which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically setforth in the claims hereunto appended.

Generally s eaking, the machine consists Ibeam having pivoted on it a designed in shape and position that the bucket fills from the top downwards instead of from the bottom upwards lwhen material falls into it from the hopper. The uppermost pocket, which holds theI smallest quantity of Y material and has the greatest lever arm with respect to the pivot, is placed directly below the hopper mouth Where it fills rst and tips the bucket when the scale beam is set for a weight within its capacity. When the weighing machine is set for a larger quantity, the

material after filling the rst pocket, will overfiow, thereby gradually filling thepockets underneath until the quantity in the bucket over-balances the counter-weight on the balance beam. To attain the above results the pockets are arranged in echelon, i. e.,

yparallel to each other rbut stepped outr of alignment, so that an end of each projects 192s. serial-N0.v 276,833.

the moment when the weight of the material for which the counterweight on the balance beam is set,l has` been fed, .whereupon the bucket will tipand discharge the material.

At the moment of tipping, the turning bucket f through suitable connections automatically closes the hopper mouth, so that no more material is fed into thefbucket until the latter, after delivering its weighed charge, has again returned into its horizontal or lilling position. The hopper gate operating mechanism is `provided with a weight actuated closing device'which shuts the gates quickly after the closing action has been started by the swinging of the bucket.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the weighing machine, with portions broken away;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, portions being broken away; and

Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation on line 3-3 of F ig. 2, showing the partsk actuating the release of the bucket.

In carrying the invention into elect, there is provided in a weighing machine, a balance mechanism, a tiltingy scale bucket carried by said mechanism, which is provided with a series of pockets in echelon, and a supply hopperdischarging material to be weighed into the uppermost pocket from which surplus material may overflow into one or more of the other pockets.' In the best constructions contemplated, the balance mechanism has a toggle tripping device for releasing said bucket to discharge its contents. In the best constructions also, the hopper has weight actuated gates which are controlled by the movement of the bucket. The means above referred to may be widely varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for the i lthe overflow from the pocket above.

uate cover 11. The front wall 6 and the rear wall'T are fastened to the ends 12 and 13, respectively, of a pedestal bracket 14 resting on base 4. This scale housing supports the hopper from its upper end.

The flow ol materialfrom the supply hopper 10 is regulated for different unit quantities to be weighed, by two angular aperture plates 15 and 16, which are slidably supported in slots of the frame 10 depending Vtroni the mouth of the hopper 10 and connected by a rod 17, having right and left handed threads. This rod has secured to it a handwheel 18 and is supported at one end by the bearing 19 attached to the front wall 6 oit the scale housing. To the plate 15 is attached thek rectangularly bent pointer 2O projectingthrough a slot o side wall 3 and indicating on the scale 21 the proper flow openings for diderent weights of material, in order that the same proportionate amount of material will be in the air at the tipping of the bucket for each amou weighed.

`From the aperture thus set, the material falls into a scale bucket 22, and in order that small quantities may be weighed with the same accuracy as large ones, the bucket is arranged to start lilling from the top and at a point therein which is most distant in a horizontal direction from the pivots of the bucket and the balance. The reason for this is that in this manner, if a small quantity j of material is jediinto the bucket, the center of gravity oic this small quantity will be relatively distant in a horizontal direction from the pivot o1"- the balance, and thus the balance will 1be more sensitive thereto and at the same time this small quantity being more distant from the pivot or" the bucket, the bucket will be more sensitive to the weightthereof for dumping purposes. rlhus the small quantity by this arrangement will have a longer lever arm with respect to the balance oivot than a large quantity. For this purpose the bucket is provided with a series of pockets, 230., 23o, 23o 23d, arranged in echelon one below the other, each lower one being larger than the one above and in a position nearer the balance pivot where it will receive As shown in Fig. 1, the bottom of each pocket is curved and arranged to receive the material at one end and discharge itat the other.

rlhe scale bucket 22V consists of a Jfront wall 24, a rear wall 25, a side wall 26 and a bottom 27,. the pockets and a guide chute 28 being 'attached across the walls 24 and 25. The vbucket' 22 has knife edges 29 resting in bushings 30 inserted into the ends of Jfork arms 31 of double balance beam 32.

The material streaming out of the hopper 10 directed by the chute 28 into the uppermost pocket 23a. When this is filled to its capacity, the overflowing material is'caught bv the next lower pocket, and so on until the material in the bucket is in balance with the counterweight 33 on the balance beam 32. The counterweight 33 i adjusted by a handwheel 34 on a'shait 35, which has a spur gear 36 in engagement with racks cut vin the under sides of the balance beam 32. il set screw 37 holds the counterweight 33 in place and a pointer 38 attachedY to the Acounterweight shows on the scale orn balance beam 32, the proper setting of the counterweight to cause the beams to balance at the desired weight of material. rlhe downward movement of the counterweioht 33 is prevented by support bracket 39 attached tobase 4 and to pedestal ,bracket 14, upon which Vthe counterwelght rests while the bucket is being charged. The

Vbalance beam 32 has knife edges 40 r sting on hardened plates 41 supported by the scale Vpedestals 12 and 13.

drawn upon balancing movement or" the beam,` as will be presently described. In theV ends of the fork arms 31 of the balance beam .32, there are pivoted the angulararms 43y and 44, which 'are pivotally supported vbetween the pointed studs 45and Vthe pointed" screws 43, the former being parts ol the bushings projecting through arms ,31, the latter being held by the U shaped pieces 47 an .ed to the studs 45. rhe upper endsof arms 43 and 44 carry a rotatablymounted sha'lt 48 on which is loosely mounted a block 49 serving to mount lug 42 on the shaft 48 and also acting as a counterweighty for the lug. This block 49 has a finger 50 projecting from a portion thereof near the shaft and bearing against the finger 51 which is fixedly mounted on shaft .48. By this means the lug 42 is held in approximately horizontal position, so that it can be easily displaced by downward movement of the yblock 65, but will i prevent upward movement thereo'f On a stud 52 in a crank arm 53, liXedly mounted on the shalt 48, is pivoted one arm of toggle 54, whose other arm is pivoted on the stud 55 or" the arm 43. Eccentrically mounted and adj ustahle threaded discs 56 on the outer ends of arms 54 serve to balance the toggle lever to regulate the pressure required to break the joint thereof. The lower ends oit the arms 43 and 44v are connected by rod 57, which on both ends terminatesin a pivot point. U-shaped blocks 58 are attached by one shank to the rod 57 near its ends, and have pointed pivot screws 59 in their other- Shanks. Between the pointed ends oi' rod 5 7 and or" the 'screws 59 are pivoted the bars 60. the lother endsolt which are pivoted in the U- Y blocks 61 attached to the pedestal ends 12 and 1.3, on the front and back of the weighing inachine. One ol the bars 1s extended beyond mousse its stationary pedestal pivot and carries the counterweight 62, ywhich holds the arms 43'` and 44 in balance.

As soon as the weight of the material in the bucket 22 balances the counterweight 33 on the balance beam, the fork arms 31 of the balance beam carrying the bucket swing downwards, thereby causing the joint of the toggle lever 54 to hit against the adjustable stop screw 63 carried by bracket- 64 attached to pedestal 12, breaking the joint, as shown in Fig. 3. This action moves crank arm 53' on shaft 48 and thereby turnsfinger 5l, which has the nose 50 bearing against it, thus allowing lug 42 to follow the turning movement by virtue of weight block 49, thereby disengaging the stop block 65 on bucket 22 and allowing the bucket to tip due to the weight of the Shaft 69 carries the hopper gate 71, while the shaft 72 also supported in the frame 10', carries the hopper gate 73. The shafts 69 and 72 are connected by gear segments 74 and 75 mounted on them. The actuation of rod 67 by pin 66 thus turns the shafts 69 and 72,

thereby starting to close the gates 7l and 73 and at the same time turning the block 76 mounted on the outside end of shaft 69. Block 76 carries the upwardly pointing and slightly inclined rod 77, to which is attached the counterweight 78. Turning of the lever 68 by the rod 67 carries the weight 78 on the rod 77 beyond its dead center, lso that the weight 78 descends by its own gravity, thus quickly actuating the gates 71 and 73. To permit this independent rapid motion of the gates, the rod 67 is attached to the pin 66 of the bucket by means of the slotted joint 79. The angular position of weight 78 is adjustable for different timing of the descent of weight 78, according to the amount of material weighed, by turning of block 7 6, which is adjustably clamped on the shaft 69. A small scale 80 mounted on shaft 69 indicates the set-- ting of weight 78 with relation to the dead center by means of a pointer 81 mounted on the underside of block 76, so that the weight kmay readily be set at the position found most satisfactory for various operating conditions.

The tipped bucket discharges its material into the chute 82 fastened to the under side of base 4. A pair of rubber bumpers 83 limit the motion of the bucket and absorb the shock of its impact. A rubber block 84 mounted on the base 4 stops the downward movement of 'fthe' arms-43' and 44, 'while a rubber roller 85 'fastened @to the u'bucket kside wall 24 bears y against arms 31,when'the bucket after its` material is discharged,swings back into itsnormail position. The arms 43 'and 44, onaccount of the counterweightv62, then move upwards, the bent toggle joint'hitting'against the angu- `4`larjstop86attached'to the top of bracket 64.

The toggle joint'isthereby straightened and closed,'causing the crank'arm 53 to turn they Jshaft/4:8 backinto its normalposition, placing the finger 42again inengagement with lstop bl0ek65jtherebyholding the buckety in fpos'ition forthe-vnextiweighing. The return of the'.I bucket into its vloading vposition also opens the hopper gates 71 and 73 through'the f action of lrod 167.

Theadjustable weight' 87 mounted on the l'threaded"rbd 88 heldbyltheangle-pieces 89 `attached"to-"theside wall 24 off the bucket,

serveswto accurately balance'the scale bucket.

1^ What is'y claimed is: v A1. 3In la"`w`eighing `machine,' the combination 'with balancemechanism, :of Ala tilting -'scale' 'bucket"carriedl bv" said mechanism and "i provided with afs'eries" of pockets in echelon `andra. fsupplylfhopper discharging material tofbe weighed rinto' the'uppermost 'pocket from *which vksurplus material may overflow into neormoreiof the`otherpockets.V

2. In a weighing' machine, the combination fwithbalance' mechanism, ofa tilting scale .bucketcarriedf byfs'aid mechanismand provided witha series 'of pockets in echelon, and av supply 'hopper Ydischargingmaterial to be i weghedflinto the uppermost pocket from ffwhichfsurplus material m`ay`overflow yinto =oneormoreofvthe other pockets, said pockets yhaving 'curved bottoms receiving material` at oneend'and: 'discharging lit; at fthe other end.

` v3. IIn ,a `weighingunachineg' the' combination with balance meehanism,'iof -af-tiltin'gscale bucket""caried`-by said-mechanism and provided *with w'series'oipoekets in echelon. and a supply hopper discharging material to be weighed into the uppermost pocket from which surplus material may overflow into one or more of the other pockets, said mechanism having a balance weight and a. rack and pinion device for adjusting the same for differl ent weights of material.

4. In a weighing machine, the combination with balance mechanism, of a tilting scale bucket carried by said mechanism and provided with a series of pockets in echelon, and a supply hopper discharging material to be weighed into the uppermost pocket from which surplus material may overflow into one or more of the other pockets', said mechanism having a toggle tripping device for rcleasing said bucket to discharge its contents.

5. In a weighing machine, the combination with balance mechanism, of a tilting scale bucket carried by said mechanism and provided with a series of pockets in echelon, and a supply hopper discharging` material to Ybe Vweighed linto the uppermost pocket from which surplus' material may overflow into one or more of the other pockets, said hopper having weight-actuated gates controlled by movement of said bucket.

6. A balance mechanism for weighing machines having tilting scale buckets, comprising a tripping device for releasably holding 'the tilting scale bucket, a toggle connected with said device and said bucket, and a stop i-'or breaking said toggie to actuate said device to release the bucket when the weight of material in said bucket reaches a predetervmined amount.

'.7. A tilting scale bucket for weighing lmachines havinga series of pockets in echelon to cause material discharging into the uppermost; pocket to overflow the Asame and fill one or more of the other pockets.

8. A tilting scalek bucket for weighing mai chines having a series of pockets in echelon, the bottoms of said pockets being curved and arranged'to receive materiall at one end and c to discharge it at the other end.

9. A hopper for weighing machines pron vided with tilting scale buckets, lsaid hopper Vhaving weight-actuated intergeared gates connected by linkage with the scale bucket.

of the weighing machine.

l0. In a weighing machine, the combinaq tion with a pivoted balance, of primary material holding means supported on the balance a fixed distance from the pivot thereof, a supply hopper discharging material to be weighed into said primary material holding" v inea-ns and secondary material holding means supported on the balance at awpoint less dis tant from the pivot and arrangedto lreceive overflow from said primary holding means. In testimony whereof, we have signed our names tothis specification.

VILLIAM E. COOPER.' FRANCISCO A. QUIROZ. 

